Treatment of an Intellectual Disability

There is no cure for intellectual disability, but services and supports play an important role and can enable the person to thrive throughout their lifetime. Services for people with intellectual disability and their families are primarily there to provide adequate support to allow for full inclusion in their communities. These services touch their daily lives (education, justice, housing, recreational, employment, health care, etc.) and may include:

Case management (a case manager helps the person apply for Medicaid in order to get a variety of supports including daily living needs, health care and long term care services and supports)

Family support (for example, respite care)

Vocational programs

Day programs

Residential options

Early intervention

Special education

Transition services

Supports include the resources and individual strategies necessary to promote the development, education, interests, and well-being of a person. Supports can come from family, friends and community or from a service system. Job coaching is an example of a support provided by a service system. Supports can also be provided by a parent, sibling, friend, teacher or any other person, such as a co-worker who provides a little extra support to someone on the job. Supports are provided in many settings, and a “setting” or location by itself is not a support.